many the miles
by NickyFox13
Summary: Nobody remembers Leanne because she's a Hufflepuff; however, she gets by because of her friends, her wit, and even ends up with a relationship that she never expected.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: **Initially written for the Crack Ship Big Bang on LJ. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated~!

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_One_

Being a Hufflepuff was the worst kind of isolation. Nobody remembered your face, let alone which house you even belonged to. As a result, making friends outside of Hufflepuff house was quite a difficult process. After all, how could Leanne make friends when people thought she simply didn't exist? This was the push that caused her to befriend Hufflepuffs of all ages. Leanne wasn't the extraverted type but her social life depended on being forward and friendly. She did what she had to do: befriend everyone who was wiling.

Attractive, popular Cedric would remain a big brother figure to her, even though they shared no common relatives as far as they were concerned.

"If you ever need anything, I'm there for you. Advice, a shoulder to cry on, even homework help! Don't hesitate to ask!" This statement was Cedric's trademark. His compulsive need to help in any form was endearing. Leanne smiled whenever he offered his help, because it was such a genuine statement and she usually did take him up on his offer.

Regal, sophisticated Susan (a younger student) subtly made her way into Leanne's life without even realizing how easy it would be to break down Leanne's shell. Leanne knew the other Hufflepuffs just by staying in the common room for at least a few minutes a day. Leanne cherished their presence in her peripheral vision.

"Have you read this book?" This was the first question out of Susan's mouth directed toward Leanne, one of many more to come. Leanne wasn't much of a reader, because she found books dry and too time consuming. But Susan, the Hufflepuff with a voracious love of learning rivaled to Hermione Granger or the most studious Ravenclaw, seemed so earnest in her question that Leanne couldn't bring herself to reveal her true feelings of books.

She liked overhearing how Hannah Abbot's day went, even though Leanne could have easily done something else much more interesting. Hannah was what Leanne called a compulsive talker, the kind who talked not out of some arrogant love of her own voice but because she simply found talking beyond exciting.

Leanne liked playing endless games of Exploding Snap with the overly talkative Justin Finch-Fletchley. She always wondered what would happen if she ever put Justin and Hannah in a room together. Would the room collapse from too much excitement in one place? Would they ever give each other a word in edgewise? Or was it too much talking to handle? Leanne shook herself out of her reverie. She'd answer these questions herself another time, when she wasn't in such a dramatic mood.

Despite friendships within her own house, Leanne hated feeling as if she were some kind of nobody for committing a sin she couldn't even control. Being a Hufflepuff wasn't that bad, really! (She wished she could stop exaggerating about the woes in her life; it felt too easy to say how horrible things were. Adding emphasis via truthful embellishment was just too simple of a feat.)

Thank Merlin for the Gryffindor Quidditch team. They were lifesavers, to put it simply.

Leanne chuckled to herself at that statement. Her typical exaggeration aside, it seemed so strange to admit that her best friends were the sportiest of Gryffindors. The Quidditch team were the people who could have been total strangers had they not reached out to her. Katie was the first to have a lengthy conversation with Leanne, and both wouldn't ever forget it. Leanne'd never forget it simply because it was about the incredible importance of matching socks.

"You see, Leanne, when your socks match, everything else in your life falls into place." There was some truth to the absurdity of the statement, but Leanne would probably never say so. It would probably be somewhat hypocritical of her to agree with Katie on matching socks, because her own socks never matched. Having two socks that didn't match made her life more interesting, if anything.

Katie was the type whose extraverted, spunky attitude and boundless, puppy-like energy breathed life into the dullest of moments. Leanne, a cripplingly shy girl she was when she first met Katie, meshed surprisingly well with Katie. Leanne's tendency to keep her feet firmly down on earth brought the overly idealistic Katie's head out of the clouds.

Leanne and Alicia were kindred spirits. The two girls were thoughtful introverts floating in a world of extraverts who didn't seem to stop very often. Both seemed to enjoy the fast pace of being tangled in the webs of energy provided by Katie. It wasn't like they'd complain about the pace.

"Who needs words when you've got actions?" Alicia muttered one time too many, in regards to her lack of talking to others. It wasn't like she hated socializing; it was that she preferred being in the company of Quidditch.

Unlike Leanne, Alicia used her thoughtful nature to observe the world with a keen eye nobody in all of Hogwarts (or at least Leanne could tell) possessed. Alicia told the world what she thought as it entered her brain. Some would call Alicia blunt or tactless or even brutal in how she spun her words. Others would simply label her as "honest" and "refreshingly observant". Her sharp tongue kept people guessing and on their toes, something Leanne endlessly liked in a person.

Angelina was like the in-between girl of the quartet of girls. She had the energy and enthusiasm to keep up with Katie, yet she had the same silent thoughtfulness Leanne possessed while also delicately balancing Alicia's knife sharp wit. When the going got tough, Leanne went to Angelina to settle the score. She was usually helpful and gave sound, thoroughly helpful advice that Leanne couldn't have ever thought up.

Leanne didn't feel the need to describe the ever (in)famous Weasley twins Fred and George, as their reputations preceded their freckled, perpetually smiling faces. Although their bright red hair distracted from the mischievous twinkle in their eyes and the gleam in their grinning teeth, she found them amusing, even if they _were_ melodramatic with their pranks.

Oliver forever remained a fascinating mystery, a puzzle that called to be solved yet couldn't be solved. He played Quidditch like a maniac with a purpose. Like he had a need to be validated by the glory of winning. Leanne wanted to admire the sheer insane amount of determination and willpower he had constantly running (more aptly, flying, as he spent more time in the air than on the ground) through his very blood stream. She was content to keep him at an arm's distance yet close in her heart. The dichotomy of closeness versus distance made their relationship (or lack thereof) unexpectedly interesting.

Leanne's best friends may have been Gryffindors but that didn't change the fact that her loyalties remained with the house of Hufflepuff. She would always have one foot in two different parts of that theoretical world: that of the isolated but tight knit community of Hufflepuffs and the fast paced world of spectating a sport she'd never have the coordination to play for a team that wasn't even hers.

She wouldn't have it any other way.


	2. Chapter 2

_Two_

Leanne wasn't much of a morning person. Yet, somehow, her favorite meal of the entire day was definitely breakfast. She enjoyed the flurry of different food choices at her disposal, and this wasn't different for every meal. It was almost overwhelming how much she could do with the food given to her.

After oversleeping for the third time in four days, she finally acted upon her promise to finally get her lazy arse out of bed on time for breakfast. As part of her morning routine, she ran into Roger Davies. His presence was so incredibly important to her routine. He was like that one important piece that completed the puzzle.

"Have you ever noticed that I've never called you by your first name?" Leanne mused briefly a few afternoons ago. It was true that she found it difficult to use his full name.

"And why is that?" Roger asked. Leanne shrugged.

"I can't imagine you being just Roger. You've got a full name that rolls off the tongue, I guess," Leanne said.

"But all of my friends call me Roger!"

"Doesn't change anything for me. Sorry."

"What if I stopped being so intimidatingly attractive? Would you call me Roger then?" He asked, basking in the idea of being complimented greatly.

No matter how much she wanted to deny it, Roger was definitely attractive. His lean build, sharp shoulders and contrasting coloring made him the type of attractive most girls at Hogwarts looked upon fondly. Secretly, Leanne found Roger attractive on some level. But she'd never say because his ego was big enough as is.

Logically (to Leanne, at least), his most attractive feature was the way his thick lashes framed his blue eyes. Somehow, he seemed more serious as a result. People who seemed older and more mature than they let on intrigued Leanne most of all. Solving the puzzle of the boy was at the very least an entertaining route.

"I guess, although I don't see you as a scary combination of intimidating and attractive," she said in the calmest way she could manage, trying to stay away from compliments to prove any kind of attractive. He looked crestfallen, but Leanne couldn't tell if it was a joke so she hastily added: "I do think you're pretty...mature." Roger's face brightened, and he began talking again as if he was never insulted.

Leanne could agree that Roger's worst habit manifested itself in bragging about how he was some sort of wise, all-knowing fountain of knowledge and solemnity. This all started with one conversation with a confused first year who genuinely believed that he knew the answers to everything. It was a pathetically hilarious conversation for another day.

"Did you know that I have a reputation of being the wisest, best advice giver in all of Hogwarts?" He asked her once in a conversation they had long ago. Roger posed the question so casually that it barely even registered in her mind until a few moments later.

"Sure, I could believe it," she said, hiding the sarcasm as well as she could.

Hilariously enough (or not, depending on how one decided to look at the situation), Roger was a pretty laid back guy despite his ego. Things never really bothered him. Or so it seemed. She truthfully hadn't seen him in a situation where he acted appropriately bothered.

Reminiscing and rushing towards breakfast weren't all that great of a combination. She hardly noticed Roger Davies walking in the hallway towards the Great Hall.

"Fancy seeing you here," Roger said casually, a warm smile spreading across his angular face. This was his favorite cheesy greeting. Leanne found it oddly comforting to hear the same greeting every morning. She liked having a routine of sorts. Routine in any other situation bored Leanne but this one was okay in her mind. Their morning chitchats were easy, and felt practically second nature with how often they happened.

"Who would've expected it? You and me, in this hallway, together…" Leanne said as casually as Roger.

"What've you been up to, Hufflepuff?" Like everything else they did that morning, calling each other by their house names and not their first names was also a comforting routine.

"Going to breakfast, Ravenclaw. Would you like to join me?" It was a simple request, which so easily flowed from her mouth to his ears.

"Of course, my favorite Hufflepuff. I'd love to join you." Just to emphasize his point, he grabbed her hand and kissed it as if adding some chivalry to his acceptance of breakfast spiced up the way he agreed with her question. Leanne couldn't help but blush. Roger always did little things like that to prove himself, for some unknown reason. Why he felt the need to prove himself was something Leanne never questioned. It was expected, really, and she assumed it was part of his personality. The novelty of small gesture wore off after a moment. Still hand in hand, they walked to breakfast together. The silence was a welcome change to the usual loud hustle and bustle in her life.

"I feel like we don't bond enough together," Roger mused after a few moments of silence. Leanne didn't answer because the second she entered the Great Hall, the strong, delicious smells of breakfast entered her nose. Her stomach growled.

"You know what, go get breakfast and then we'll decide on our Hogsmeade date together." She was too busy salivating over breakfast to listen to Roger essentially promise a romantic rendezvous.

"I've got a question, before you go stuff your face," Roger put a hand on Leanne's shoulder, emphasizing his all ready well made point all the more. He liked emphasizing his point with touch, didn't he? Leanne, for just a moment, became flustered but regained her composure just as quickly as she lost it.

_There's no reason for me to question his touch, it's just what he does, _Leanne thought.

"What do you need? And I'm not gonna stuff my face, promise!" He smiled for a second, amused at her words for some questionable reason.

"I need some advice from you." Leanne's eyebrow perked up in confusion, still ruminating over his statement. The tension began to build, making her slightly anxious.

"Oh? So Mr. Fountain-Of-Advice needs little ol' Leanne to help him out?" She teased, trying to lighten the mood. The longer she grinned, the more her anxiety disappeared.

"Yes, actually. I do."

"I'm open to help you out. Tell me all your problems." She opened her arms to further emphasize how open she was to helping him. If he could dramatically emphasize his point, why couldn't she? Roger took this as a sign to wrap his arms around her, and rest his head on her shoulder. Leanne was simultaneously caught off guard by his bold act of affection yet totally unfazed.

She should have expected this. One day, she would probably ponder how this act of being surprised and not at the same time worked. Right now wasn't exactly the right time to wonder about surprise.

"So there's this girl I fancy, and I think she's really truly beautiful," he explained, getting straight to the point, "but I don't want to just come out and say it. That'd be strange, wouldn't it? So, my favorite girl, tell me how I should solve my own problems."

Leanne took a minute to think. The answer was obvious, but she couldn't let him know that. That would be rude. It would probably seem like she couldn't even take the time to think about her best guy friend's problems. Who knew that a guy like him could be faced with such a simple girl problem!

"If you like her as much as you say," Leanne didn't doubt this, as he was the type to be one hundred percent true to his word regarding romantic escapades, "then don't try to bluntly telling her your feelings right away. Being as blunt as you are right away would make her nervous. Subtly tell her your feelings with affection and small gifts and just being in each other's presence. Am I making any sense?"

His wicked grin and the twinkle in his eyes gave her enough of an answer. The once welcome silence between them became stifling.

"Your welcome!" She said, after getting tired of the quiet. He stayed smiling without a word.

"Talk to you later?" Leanne said hastily, hugging him briefly and walking towards breakfast. She couldn't wait finally eat breakfast.


	3. Chapter 3

_Three_

"I feel like the spark in our relationship's disappeared! We've gotta communicate more," Katie mused at Leanne as they left the Great Hall to walk towards Charms. It was one of the seemingly few classes Hufflepuffs had with Gryffindor. Katie, Angelina, Alicia and Leanne took the time to reacquaint themselves during the downtime, even though they saw each other enough after classes ended and during holidays.

"Wait, since when? I feel like our relationship's fine, thanks very much," Leanne said. For a brief moment, she mused over whether or not she should be confused over Katie's comment because it was a statement said without context. She also briefly considered being flattered that Katie cared enough about their friendship to make note of wanting to change it.

_Who knew what this girl wanted sometimes!_ Leanne thought with an internal chuckle.

"Since right effing now! You never told me about your…you know…with Roger Davies!"

"I did nothing but talk to him right before breakfast. There's nothing but platonic feelings between us!" Leanne sputtered.

"Oh, bullocks, Leanne. He fancies you so much that if he fancied you any more he'd probably just propose all ready," Alicia noted gleefully, joining in on the conversation as if she had always been on it.

Leanne wasn't sure how to react to this.

"How do you even _know_?"

"Look, Alicia, we're really hitting a nerve. Her voice got all squeaky and now she's _red_!" Katie jokingly said, elbowing Alicia with too much enthusiasm for a simple gesture.

"You never answered my question! How do you know that Roger likes me?" Leanne asked, still unsure as to how they had this knowledge.

Oh Merlin! What if they overheard her conversation with Roger before breakfast? She almost forgot how he essentially asked her out on a date to Hogsmeade. Leanne hadn't seen Roger since breakfast started, so it slipped her mind to talk with him about solidifying their plans.

"It's just a rumor, but it seems likely to be true. You two seem close enough…" Alicia speculated as she rubbed her chin, thoughtfully considering all points of view.

"But it's just a _rumor_! How can you believe something that might not even be true?" She paused in hopes of getting a response. It was confusing, this romantic intuition her friends seemed to posses.

"Let me guess, Leanne, you fancy him back?" Angelina blandly asked. She seemed to completely ignore everything Leanne was saying in favor of asking questions. For a brief moment, Leanne wondered if Angelina, Katie and Alicia noticed that she hadn't answered a single question they asked her. She would have loved to tease them about it, but they wouldn't like the joke. They'd want an answer even more than they did before, and Leanne had no answer to give that would be satisfactory in their eyes.

"Oh, not you too, Angelina. It's not fair-"

"What's not fair? That an attractive, charismatic young man like Roger is attracted to you?" Angelina asked with the same bland tone as she had earlier.

"…You sound like my mother, Angelina. It's creepy." Leanne sighed. She'd probably never get through to Angelina, Alicia or Katie about this. Once they believed something, nothing would sway them otherwise.

"Leanne, stop avoiding the question, it's not cute," Katie said.

"I'm not acting like your mum!" Angelina interrupted, clearly offended. Leanne rolled her eyes.

"But this interrogation feels like you are my mum though. You don't need to know every silly little detail in my life!"

"We're your friends, we just want to know what goes on between you and a cute bloke," Katie explained.

"…I have this horrid feeling that whatever I say will be used against me at any given moment," Leanne observed. The three girls nodded vigorously.

"Which means I'm keeping my mouth shut on the matter for now. You'll learn more later when something actually happens between me and Roger."

"You promise?" Katie asked.

"I promise. You know that I always keep my word," Leanne said with her hand on her heart. Once everything about her date with Roger was finalized, she'd pluck up the courage to tell Katie, Alicia and Angelina that maybe there was potential between her and Roger.


	4. Chapter 4

_Four_

The day ended without much luck in finding Roger. He was older than her so they had no classes together and she wasn't sure of Ravenclaw's Quiddich schedule. For all she knew, he could have disappeared for the rest of the day after seeing him that morning. Pity, because Leanne really wanted to find him so they could talk about Hogsmeade plans. There was a part of her that didn't want to believe that he actually meant to ask her out on a date. She was used to being the plain girl in the background who nobody really paid much attention to unless someone else initiated something.

Leanne's search ended up completely dissipating when she entered the library. She found an empty space to sit in and started studying. She wasn't particularly ambitious or studious in regards to homework. It wouldn't matter much later on, the tedious academic stuff. As long as she could think critically, use her common sense and retain the most important concepts, Leanne figured she'd be pretty well off later on in life.

"Look at you, Miss Studious, doing all your work on time. I'm so proud of you!" That dreadfully familiar voice rang in her ears, bringing Leanne out of her thoughts. She looked up, and to no surprise, it was Roger, looking at her with a goofy grin plastered to his face.

"I was looking for you all day!" She exclaimed, the enthusiasm in her voice very apparent. She didn't once get up from the table she sat at, in fear she'd lose her place in the book she was reading for some research in one of her classes.

"Were you?" He graciously took a seat across from her, leaning forward with a curious look on his face.

"I've got a question for you," Leanne started.

"I love questions. Ask away, m'darlin!" His dramatics relaxed her in a weird way.

"Were you serious when you asked me to Hogsmeade this weekend?" She asked, deadly serious. He laughed as quietly as he could manage.

"Why are you laughing at me? This isn't funny!" Leanne pouted deeply, crossing her arms over her chest indignantly.

"Of course it is!" Roger said jovially, which made Leanne pout even more. "You're all paranoid that I was lying to you, weren't you?" He grabbed her hands dramatically and looked her straight in the eyes. She stayed silent and refused to make his gaze. "I'd never do that, I promise."

"So let's make some definite plans, right now." Roger said, eyes bright and a goofy grin quickly spreading across his face. He squeezed her hands enthusiastically, never once averting his gaze from Leanne's blushing face. Her heart pounded and she felt emotions she'd never felt before.

It was scary, not being able to find the words to describe her feelings. She'd be content with some sort of different yet equally frightening feeling that had nothing to do with matters of her heart and potential romance.

"But what if I want spontaneity for this date? We can make that work, right?" Leanne said as she recovered her once lost composure. Roger kept that silly grin plastered to his face.

"Of course," Roger said without hesitation, "I'll meet you outside the Hufflepuff common room and we'll figure it out from there. You okay with that?"

"Sure, that sounds wonderful!" With that, Leanne would be, in less than four days, attending her first date. Roger stood up from his seat with a newfound spring in his step and landed a lingering, soft kiss to her lips. Roger seemed incredibly accomplished with himself, and so did Leanne.

"Weren't expecting that, were you?" Roger asked, smugness emanating from his entire being.

"You're going to gloat about this for the rest of the year, aren't you?" Leanne asked.

"Now that you suggest it…yes, yes I am," Roger said.

"So did the girl advice I gave you help at all?" Leanne asked in an attempt to change the topic. She couldn't handle so much of his smugness at once. It almost felt like drowning.

"I…haven't used it yet," Roger started, "but I can explain why I haven't used it."

"You must have a wonderful explanation," Leanne said sarcastically.

"As always!" Silence. This unnerved Leanne.

"There is no explanation, is there?" She asked.

"Not until the date at Hogsmeade, that is! See you then," he responded with a wink.

Well, that was helpful…


	5. Chapter 5

_Five _

"I've got good news!" Leanne exclaimed as she rushed into the Gryffindor common room. Katie, Alicia and Angelina looked at her with interest gleaming in their eyes. All the rest of the Gryffindors seemed to not notice or care much that she was in the common room.

"Please tell me it's about Roger," Katie stated with a grin plastered to her face. The elation was palpable.

"Yes," Leanne said with a joking sigh.

"Tell us _everything_!" Alicia ordered, giggling as she scooted closer to Leanne, as if that would somehow get the story out faster. Katie and Angelina followed Alicia's lead by scooting closer to where Leanne stood.

"Roger and I are going on a date to Hogsmeade when the weekend comes up," Leanne said simply. There wasn't much else to say about the date, really. Except that she did want to mention more about Roger. She liked him. A lot. More than a lot really, and it was kind of overwhelming to feel such intense emotions over one person. She hoped that this date would solidify any feelings they had for each other.

Katie squealed, bringing Leanne out of her thoughts.

"I'm so _proud _of you, Leanne!" Katie exclaimed, unable to bring herself to stop smiling. Leanne couldn't stop smiling, either.

Time passed all too quickly because before Leanne knew it, the day of the date arrived and she was so excited it hurt. She hesitated to step outside of the Hufflepuff dorm, not wanting the date to start even though she wanted it to happen. What if she ruined something? What if she accidentally spilt something on Roger's pants and he got mad? What if he stopped liking her all of a sudden, but she didn't know about it until he decided to just not show up to the date?

_Oh Merlin_, Leanne thought_, I should just cancel right now because there are so many terrible things that could go wrong and I don't want to risk any of that happening._ She took a deep breath to steady her racing thoughts.

Who was she kidding, she couldn't cancel; it was pretty much impossible at this point. It would have been too last minute. Besides, Leanne wanted this really _really _badly. More than anything. Or at least, more than anything she could want now, in this moment. She ruffled the pleats in skirt of her simple blue dress that she picked out a few weeks ago. Leanne never expected to wear this out, especially since the skirt sat at a little higher than her knee. The fact that it felt fancier than a typical sundress added upon her worry.

Roger waltzed toward Leanne's vision fashionably late, as always. He wore a vivid indigo button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, worn jeans and the rattiest trainers Leanne'd ever seen. She looked down self-consciously at her fancy black heels. What if she was over dressed for the occasion because as always, however, he managed to look gorgeous with the way he dressed himself as if he cared enough to look put-together but not enough to look completely professional.

He took her hand, kissed it gently, and said, "You look wonderful all cleaned up."

"Thanks, you don't look half-bad yourself. Never would have thought you'd own a dress

shirt." Leanne said, looking Roger up and down as if she'd never seen him before this very moment.

"You and your sarcasm. I can't get enough of it," he laughed, and then started walking with Leanne at a leisurely pace. Without thinking, she grabbed his hand. He reciprocated without hesitation.

"Since we're alone in the corridors and it's mostly quiet…may I admit something I've been hiding for a while?" Leanne asked tentatively. Roger raised an eyebrow.

"You may, m'darling. What is it?" He asked. She stood on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the lips. It was a soft, tiny kiss but it conveyed what she desperately wanted to say but felt as if she couldn't. Kissing him was definitely a risky move.

_What if my plan goes terribly, horribly wrong?_ Leanne thought frantically.

"I fancy you, too." Roger admitted, a little smile appearing on his beautiful face. Leanne sighed in relief. "Why are you sighing?"

"I'm just glad the feeling's mutual. Wouldn't want to kiss you only to be rejected, you know?" He wrapped his arm around her waist and brought her into a tight hug.

"You worry too much, you know that right?" Roger asked jokingly, squeezing her waist.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I guess you could say that about me," Leanne joked right back as she nuzzled her short, brown hair into the crook of his shoulder. The sappiness of this moment warmed her heart. She wished for more moments like this in the future, where they could be mushy and silly at the same time without any judgments. Leanne liked how comfortable she felt in his arms, and she needed to remember to hug him more often now that they knew their feelings for each other.

"Let's get to Hogsmeade before the night gets too old!" Roger said, returning to his extravagantly gesturing self. He had a spring in his step as the walked toward Hogsmeade.

"So where are we going in Hogsmeade? All of this spontaneity is making me nauseous," Leanne asked, in a half silly manner.

"Wherever you want!" Roger said.

"How about Madam Puddifoot's? Katie suggested-" Leanne started.

"You can't be serious. That tacky place?" He interrupted.

"…Yes."

"Anywhere but there, m'darlin'. And don't suggest the Three Broomsticks. Because everyone and their _mum_ is there and we can't have _that _for our first date, you know."

"Then let's go to Honeyduke's! I've been craving chocolate just about all day."

"That sounds wonderful, I'd love to eat some chocolate as sweet as you," he said, and kissed her cheek as if it were normal to compare a girl to chocolate. She blushed furiously at the comparison, unsure if she should be flattered or utterly confused.

"Are you calling me sweet?" Leanne asked, feeling stupid for even trying to articulate the question. Roger chuckled, as if he heard the most hilarious joke ever. Leanne blushed even redder, hating that he laughed at her and hating that his overreaction was normal, almost expected even. Once he saw Leanne's eternally reddening face, Roger hugged her tightly in hopes to make her face return to her usual color.

"Yes. Sometimes, I want your sweetness all of the time," he enunciated slowly, as if speaking the words was a supremely difficult task. He held on to her hands, squeezing them to support himself. Leanne was confused yet intrigued at the same time. He continued with, "I think I love you, Leanne, I think I do with all of my heart."

With that, Leanne felt her eyes watering, and she couldn't even begin to explain why. She wasn't allergic to anything, nor was there anything in her eyes. The wind blew, but not in a way that got something in her eyes to make them water. Before she realized it, tears streamed down her face and she was crying. It wasn't fair that she had to cry over Roger's confession. He proposed his love to her as if he were talking about something less important. But the way he said it moved her.

Instead of mustering up the courage to say "I love you, too" she wrapped her arms around Roger in a tight hug, letting all of the tears flow out of her eyes as quickly as possible. She hated crying where people could see her because it made her uncomfortable. Roger's comforting hands rubbed her back, assuring her that she was okay. She was okay in his strong arms, as if the world didn't exist. He delicately kissed the top of her head, and kept rubbing her back.

Once the tears stopped falling down her cheeks, Leanne felt cured.

"How you feeling, love?" Roger asked softly, still protectively keeping Leanne close to his chest. She grinned, and stood on her tiptoes to try and kiss him to show her gratitude. Despite her efforts, she had managed to kiss his chin. Roger, instead of making a silly remark about how a kiss to the chin wasn't like a kiss to the lips, cupped her face and kissed her on the lips, slow and tender.

Leanne didn't think, refused to become flustered and deepened the kiss, loving every second of his warm lips pressed lovingly against hers. She could have kissed him forever, forgetting that there were surroundings around her, forgetting that she initially wanted chocolate at Honeyduke's. Chocolate could wait when she could have Roger's lips. Her hands, at one second idle, instantly clamored for placing themselves comfortably on his stomach.

"Let's get chocolate first before you go _there_, my darling Leanne," Roger said.

"Are you not okay with my new bold decisions?" Leanne asked with an indignant laugh, keeping her hand placed on his stomach.

"Of course not, but that stays in the bedroom and not out here, where everyone can see us. Have you no shame?" Roger exclaimed.

"I guess not," Leanne said with a shrug.

"I'm a horrible influence, aren't I?" Roger asked, readily accepting the answer that would come.

"You are, but it's okay," Leanne laughed, and hugged him tightly.

Oh, wouldn't Katie, Alicia, and Angelina love that her planned Honeyduke's date turned into a glorified snog fest…


End file.
